SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE 29 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, examined this Tuesday the key projects concerning road improvements that bypass the municipality of La Laguna, including the addition of a third lane on the TF-5 Highway from Guamasa towards the Airport, and the Ring Road surrounding La Laguna.
Fernando Clavijo convened a meeting that included the Vice President of the Canary Islands Executive, Manuel Domínguez, and the Minister of Public Works, Housing and Mobility, Pablo Rodríguez, alongside the President of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, and the Mayor of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, to discuss the transport situation in this region of the island.
Clavijo emphasised during the meeting the importance of collaboration between the three governing bodies: the Government of the Canary Islands, the Island Council, and the La Laguna City Council, committing to prioritise the development of the TF-5 section between Guamasa and the Airport, as it will undoubtedly enhance mobility by increasing the capacity of the Northern Highway towards Santa Cruz, from Guamasa to Los Rodeos airport.
Furthermore, he mentioned that other essential initiatives were discussed, such as the La Laguna bypass, which is expected to be one of the most significant projects not just on the island of Tenerife, but throughout the Canary Islands.
In addition, Pablo Rodríguez advocated for accelerating the development of the third lane on the TF-5. “Our ministry is finalising the upgrade of the variant between Guamasa and the Airport, a project that has already received an environmental impact declaration. Therefore, we will be able to proceed with the tender process within the framework of this highway agreement that is currently being executed.”
He noted that this project, valued at approximately 60 million euros, “will not only represent a substantial improvement in road infrastructure but will also significantly enhance mobility by increasing highway capacity.”
Rosa Dávila underscored the significance of the third lane expansion and the bypass as priority initiatives to enhance traffic flow on the TF-5 and provide a viable solution for congestion in La Laguna.
“Additionally, we are progressing with the ring road, a major undertaking that will be constructed as a tunnel, requiring an investment of 500 million euros, which will facilitate the eventual closure of the Island Ring,” she stated.
On his part, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez highlighted “the allocation of 50 million euros for the construction of the Gorgolana tunnel, which will be tendered by the Cabildo and constructed by the Government, along with the 60 million euros for the third lane of the TF-5 from Los Rodeos to Guamasa, “which will alleviate one of the areas with the highest vehicle volumes in the municipality.”
“When discussing mobility in Tenerife, the primary actions that remain unresolved are the completion of the island ring to the north and the challenges within the metropolitan area, particularly at the entry and exit points of La Laguna,” he remarked, reviewing the budget forecast from the Government of 2.5 million euros “for various stages in the tender process for the TF-5 variant and to achieve burials through the municipality.”
Finally, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez expressed gratitude to the Government of the Canary Islands for its contribution of more than 1,200,000 euros and 500,000 euros from the Cabildo for the celebration of La Laguna’s 25th anniversary as a World Heritage City.
The representatives from the three administrations also discussed various matters concerning housing, reaffirming the Cabildo and the Government of the Canary Islands’ commitment to the municipality of La Laguna, which has made all available municipally owned land accessible to the Government, via Icavi and Visocan.
